Members of the Black Student Association and university officials planned events to celebrate Black History Month and to honor black leaders.
February has been designated as Black History Month by every president since 1976. Each president endorses a theme for the month. This year’s theme is “African Americans in Times of War,” marking the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I, according to history.com.
Housing officials are facilitating one of the first events. It is a Black History Museum, which will be a walking tour from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. through Feb. 9 in Walker Hall dormitory.
Russ Tallchief, director of student engagement, inclusion and multicultural programs, said he’s happy to see involvement from different parts of the campus community.
“To participate in Black History Month is really the type of thing that we try to encourage, for one thing, but are just really happy to see from people who are committed to celebrating diversity and the cultural heritage of our students on campus,” Tallchief said.
BSA Secretary Destini Carrington, psychology sophomore, said Black History Month is when she feels the most comfortable in her skin.
“It’s a time where I can personally be unapologetically black,” Carrington said. “A time when I don’t have to hold back or censor myself for anyone else’s opinions of how they think I should act or present myself.”
BSA’s Facebook, Instagram and Twitter will feature a “Black History Spotlight” each day to commemorate black people throughout history that don’t typically get much recognition.
“The purpose is to inform people that black people weren’t just slaves, got free, then MLK came and fought for us to have equal rights like most people learn in school,” said BSA Historian Lexi Metoyer, exercise science junior. “Black people invented important things that we use every day.”
Black History Spotlights have already featured people like Alexander Miles, who patented automatic elevator doors, and Dr. Daniel H. Williams, who performed the first successful open heart surgery.
“To me, Black History Month is about black pride,” Metoyer said. “You learn about Martin Luther King, Malcolm X and Rosa Parks, but no one ever really talks about Angela Davis or Huey Newton.
“Black History Month is a month focused around black excellence, and I love it.”
Newton and Davis were Civil Rights activists and members of the Black Panthers, a political organization founded to challenge police brutality against the African American community, according to history.com. Newton co-founded the Black Panthers in 1966.
“Throughout this month, we reflect on all the steps African Americans have made to shape their legacy for the future generations to continue, hoping that one day true equality will be implemented and freedom would be a right to all people,” Carrington said. “This month is filled with letting everyone in the world know that this nation was built on the backs of people of color and should be reason enough for our lives to matter.”
BSA President Leondre Lattimore, art sophomore, said the events are beneficial for students.
“Black History Month is a great opportunity for students on campus to learn about our culture and history,” Lattimore said. “It’s also a great way to honor the black leaders before us that paved the way to get us to where we are now.”
Lattimore said he’s most excited for the Black History Celebration at 7 p.m. Feb. 9 in the Burg Theatre in Kirkpatrick Fine Arts Center. The event is free and open to the public. There will be various artistic performances.
“It’s just a night of us coming together to celebrate the month while enjoying the talent of different people within the community,” Carrington said.
Schedule of Black History Month events:
Feb. 7-9
Black History Museum
10 a.m. to 4 p.m. | Walker Hall dormitory
Feb. 8
African movement and music presentation with Ayinde Hurrey
2:30-3:45 p.m. | Burg Theatre in Kirkpatrick Fine Arts Center
Feb. 9
Black History Celebration
7 p.m. | Burg Theatre in Kirkpatrick Fine Arts Center
Feb. 19
Film screening: 13th
7 p.m. | Oklahoma United Methodist Hall theater
Feb. 20
Game Night
7 p.m. | Cokesbury Court Apartments Clubhouse
Feb. 21
BSA Panel Discussion
noon | Watson Lounge in Bishop W. Angie Smith Chapel
Feb. 22
BSA Banquet
6 p.m. | Great Hall in Tom and Brenda McDaniel University Center
Feb. 23
Karaoke Night
7 p.m. | Cokesbury Court Apartments Clubhouse
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